Method of and means for packing cigars in jars



. 1941- J. H. TOULOUSE 2,261,423

METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR PACKING CIGARS IN JARS Filed 001;. 7, 1938 Patented Nov. 4, 1941 METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR PACKING CIGARS IN JARS Julian H. Toulouse, lfoledo, Ohio, assignor to Owens-Illinois Glass Company, a corporation of Ohio Application October 7, 1938, Serial No. 233,837

' 9 Claims. ,(Cl. 226-18) My invention relates to a method of and means for packing cigars or articles of a similar shape in jars, and particularly for packing cigars or the like in glass jars with the face side of the cigars in a definite position.

An object of the invention is to provide a practical and eflicient method of packing the cigars in a round glass jar, particularly a jar having an inside diameter substantially larger than that of the neck opening.

A further object of the invention is to provide a method of packing the cigars in a jar of the character indicated in such a manner that the labels on the cigar bands face outwardly so as to be readily visible through the transparent wall of the jar.

A further object of the invention is to provide a practical method and means to facilitate packing cigars or the like in a round jar with a predetermined number of cigars arranged in a ring which is self-sustaining within the jar and forms the outer layer or ring of the pack while the remaining cigars of the pack may be inserted as a group within said ring without being arranged in any particular order.

Other objects of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Referring to the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a-glass jar and a packing implement, illustrating the method of packing the outer ring of cigars;

Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view of the same;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the block or pestle used as a packing implement for holding and guiding the cigars during the packing operation;

Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation of a modified form of the packing implement; and

Fig. 5 is a section at the line 55 on Fig. 4.

The drawing illustrates a cylindrical glass jar l0, ordinarily referred to in the trade as a round jar, adapted to hold a standard pack of 50 cigars, and the method or means employed in packing the jar. The jar is particularly designed as to size and shape to accommodate the pack of cigars contained therein. The diameter of the neck II of the jar is preferably substantially equal to the interior diameter of the ring of cigars [2 which are packed in the jar.

In order to facilitate the packing, I employ an implement l3, herein referred to as a packing pestle. This pestle comprises a substantially or approximately cylindrical body which may be provided with a knob or handle M. The diameter of the pestle is slightly less than that of the mouth of the jar so that the pestle may be readily inserted in the jar or withdrawn therefrom. The pestle may be made of wood, aluminum, plastic material or any suitable material giving a smooth polished surface.

The pestle has a portion cut away on one side to provide an oblique surface I5. This surface may be fiat or it may be more or less convex or conical. The lower edge It of the face [5 is a short distance, preferably about an inch, above the lower edge of the pestle. A bumping pad ll made of rubber or other soft material is attached to the lower end of the pestle to minimize the danger of breaking the jar if the pestle is dropped therein with an unduly great force.

The preferred method of packing the cigars in accordance with the present invention is as follows: I

In commencing the pack, the jar is preferably held in an inclined position at an angle of 45 more or less. Any suitable holdermay be used for this purpose. The pestle I3 may be inserted in the jar before commencing the pack but preferably a few cigars, for example, 8 or 10, are first placed inthe lower side jar side by side, with the label side of the band against the glass, thereby commencing the circle [2. The pestle I 3 is then inserted, the cigars which are in place serving to position it centrally within the jar. The remaining cigars required to complete the circle are then introduced, one, two or three at a time being slipped down the slanting face l5 of the pestle and then moved laterally into position. The pestle may be held with the face [5 in such position that the cigars as theyslide down into the jar and areuprighted, are placed beside the preceding cigars, so that little or no lateral movement is needed to pack them in the ring. The pestle is rotated as the packing proceeds, to maintain the face 15 in the required position. The operator may work with both hands if desired, placing two or three cigars at a time alternately at opposite ends of the uncompleted ring. When the last cigar of the circle is. slipped down the slanting surface and its upper end snapped into position at the top of the circle, it serves as a key to hold the entire circle of cigars in place by frictional engagement with each other, the pressure being automatically equalized throughout the circle. The pestle is now withdrawn and replaced by the remaining cigars required to complete the package. These cigars may all be inserted at once into the 'jar as a group orunit and without requiring any particular arrangement in the group,

Figs. 4 and 5 illustrate a modified form of pestle 20. In this construction the pestle is substantially frusto-conical in shape, being tapered from a point near the lower end thereof to the upper end. The lower portion 2| of the pestle is cylindrical in form, the walls being vertical. The tapered surface portion of the pestle is fluted or formed with concave surfaces or recesses 22 corresponding in width and number to the size and number of cigars comprised in the circle l2. These flutes serve as guides for the individual cigars, accurately spacing them as they are introduced into the jar. The method of packing with the pestle 2B is similar to that above described in which the pestle I3 is employed, except that guiding surfaces 22 individual to the cigars are employed in place of the surface [5.

Modifications may be resorted to within the spirit and scope of my invention.

I claim:

1. The method of packing cigars and similarly shaped articles, which comprises placing a. predetermined number of the articles in upright position side by side within a round container and bearing against the interior lateral surface of the container, placing the last article required to complete the first layer in an inwardly inclined position with one end in place at the bottom of the ring between the adjoining articles and swinging it radially outward from said inclined position to an upright position, thereby establishing a frictional holding pressure by which all of the articles are held in place, and thereafter introducing a sufficient number of articles to substantially fill the space within said first layer and complete the pack.

2. The method of packing cigars in a container, which comprises introducing cigars, a few at a time, into the container through an open end thereof, placing them as they are introduced, side by side, to form an uncompleted layer bearing against the inner lateral surface of the container, introducing a positioning implement within the container and thereby providing a passageway between said implement and the walls of the container, guiding additional cigars into said passageway and into position in said layer, forcing the last cigar required to complete said layer into position and thereby applying lateral pressure by which all of the cigars in said layer are held in place, then withdrawing the said implement, and introducing a suflicient number of cigars to complete the pack.

3. The method of packing cigars within a cylindrical jar and forming a pack in which a ring of C s is arranged along the interior cylindrical surface of the jar with said cigars packed side by side in an upright position and a group of cigars filling the space within said ring, which method comprises introducing a few of the cigars into the jar through an open end thereof and positioning them side by side to form a portion of said ring, then introducing into the jar a guiding implement which with the jar provides an annular space corresponding to said ring of cigars, then introducing into the jar, a few at a time, a sufficient number of cigars to complete said ring, guiding the cigars into position in said annular space as they are introduced, then withdrawing said implement, and thereafter introducing said group to complete the pack.

4. The method of packing cigars within a cylindrical jar and forming a pack in which a ring of cigars is arranged along the interior cylindrical surface of the jar with said cigars packed side by side in an upright position and a group of cigars filling the space within said ring, which method comprises introducing a few of the cigars into the jar through an open end thereof and positioning them side by side to form a portion of said ring, then introducing into the jar a guiding implement which with the jar provides an annular space corresponding to said ring of cigars, then introducing into the jar, a few at a time, a sufficient number of cigars to complete said ring, guiding the cigars into position in said annular space as they are introduced, compacting the cigars comprised by said ring and making the ring self-supporting by forcing the last cigar of the ring into place, then withdrawing the said implement, and introducing said group of cigars to complete the pack.

5. The method of packing cigars into a round jar, which comprises introducing into the jar a guiding implement shaped to provide an unobstructed annular space between the exterior surface of said implement and the interior surface of the jar, introducing a predetermined number of cigars lengthwise into said annular space, a few at a time in groups, guiding each group laterally over the surface of said implement into juxtaposition to a preceding group in said annular space and thereby building a ring of cigars side by side within said space, withdrawing said implement, and introducing, in group form, a predetermined number of cigars to fill the space within the said ring and thereby complete the pack.

6. The method of packing within a cylindrical glass jar, cigars having labeled bands, and forming a pack comprising a ring of cigars placed side by side with the label side of the cigar bands facing outwardly and bearing against the inner face of the jar, which method comprises placing a guiding implement within the jar, said implement shaped to define the inner boundary of an uninterrupted annular space corresponding in size and position to the said ring of cigars, introducing the cigars a few at a time into the jar, guiding them downwardly endwise into the jar along an inclined surface of said implement as they are introduced and moving them laterally into position side by side in said annular space, snapping into poston the last cigar required to complete the ring and thereby applying and distributing a lateral pressure throughout said ring by which the cigars are all frictionally held in place, thereafter withdrawing said implement, and introducing in a single group a sufficient number of cigars to fill the central space within said ring with the cigars of said group loosely held in said central space and thereby completing the pack.

'7. The method of packing cigars in a cylindrical jar, which comprises introducing cigars at equally spaced points circumferentially of the jar and moving them downwardly, each in the direction of its length with the cigar inclined radially inward with respect to the jar, and guiding them into position to form a ring with the lower end portions of the cigars in contact with each other and with the inner surface of th jar, swinging the upper ends of the cigars outwardly radially of the jar to bring them into parallelism with each other and with each cigar extending along the inner surface of the side Wall of the jar, and then introducing an additional number of cigars required to complete the pack.

8. An implement for use in packing cigars in mg a substantially cylindrical body, said body being cut away on one side thereof to form an inclined guiding surface extending downward from the upper end of the implement and terminating a short distance above the base of the implement, said guiding surface being substantially flat and extending laterally a distance substantially less than half the circumference of the implement. V J'ULIAN H. TOULOUSE. 

